Sharkiyah, Eastern Oman Mountains

Abstract

The Sharkiyah or Eastern Oman Mountains include the all the mountains north of the Wahiba Sands that extend from the Quriat region eastwards to Ras al Hadd, and the most easterly tip of the north coast (Fig. 13.1). The northern coast between Quryat and Sur has a rocky coastline with a few coral and pebble beaches but one beach near Fins is a magnificent stretch of white sand in between two rocky headlands. Illegal collection of sand for construction sites in Ash Shab and Tiwi villages has seriously affected the beach that also suffers from rubbish dumping by weekend trippers. This eastern coastal region used to be wild and empty with only a few small fishing villages at Dibab, Bimmah, Fins and Tiwi. Herds of wild mountain gazelle roamed the coastal plains and the occasional Arabian tahr was seen in the higher peaks. Mountain gazelle are now uncommon in this region except for the remoter parts of the high mountains, and Arabian tahr are restricted to the high peaks around the Wadi Serin reserve. The construction of a major highway linking Quriat to Sur with several large new bridges spanning Wadi Daykah, Wadi Ash Shab and Wadi Tiwi has now opened up the region for development. The entire coastline from Sur to Quryat has been staked out, ready for development and it is crucial that any development plans enable preservation of the Ash Shab gorge and also the Fins beach area. The inland mountains (Jebel Abiad, Jebel Bani Jabir) however remain in a wild state and there are some excellent trekking routes across these mountains.